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Photo:PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, FOOD STYLIST: MARGRET MONROE DICKEY, PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINE KEELY
PHOTOGRAPHER: JEN CAUSEY, FOOD STYLIST: MARGRET MONROE DICKEY, PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINE KEELY
Trying to eat a heart-healthy diet? Chances are, you have questions about protein. Protein is one of the three macronutrients your body needs to stay strong and healthy (the others are carbs and fat). “Protein is an important part of a heart-healthy diet, but not all proteins are the same,” saysKimberly Campbell, M.D., FACC, a cardiologist with Cardiology Consultants of Philadelphia.“Your body needs protein to build and repair muscle. Your heart is also a muscle, so consuming the right type of proteins can help keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of heart disease.”
So which protein foods should you be including on your plate? Variety is key, according to the American Heart Association, which suggests prioritizing protein from plants, seafood and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, while filling in any gaps with some lean meats and poultry.
To get you started, we asked the experts for their top protein pick for heart health. Read on to find out what they recommend.
Why Is Heart Health Important?
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. So there’s no better time than now to start taking care of your heart.The top three risk factors for heart disease are high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking. The good news is that even if you have one or more of those risk factors, diet and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your heart disease risk.
The AHA recommends both the Mediterranean diet pattern and the DASH diet (short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) for reducing heart disease risk. Both of these healthy eating patterns emphasize lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts while avoiding foods high insaturated fatand trans fats.In addition to diet, getting regular physical activity and quitting smoking can also lower your heart disease risk.
The #1 Protein for Heart Health
When it comes to the best protein for heart health, experts are huge fans of fish. “A pesco-Mediterranean diet is one of the best heart-healthy diets one can adopt, and this includes proteins from seafood sources that are high inomega-3 fatty acidsand low in saturated fats,” saysMary Greene, M.D., a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology in New York City.
Here’s why fish earns the top spot for the No. 1 protein for heart health.
Good Source of Heart-Healthy Fats
Swapping out saturated fats in your diet for unsaturated fats can reduce your risk of heart disease. Fish is generally lower in saturated fat than other animal proteins like beef or pork, and it provides omega-3 fatty acids—a type of polyunsaturated fat associated with heart-health benefits. “Omega-3 fatty acids, which are needed to maintain normal bodily function, may also help reduce your risk of coronary disease,” says Campbell. “The body can’t make omega-3 fatty acids, so it is dependent on dietary intake. Salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel are some of the fish varieties highest in omega-3s.”
May Lower Cholesterol Levels
If you’d like tolower your cholesterol levels, eating fish a couple of times a week may help. Research has found that people who ate at least 8 ounces of fatty fish per week had more favorable cholesterol profiles (including better HDL cholesterol) than those who ate fewer than 4 ounces of fish weekly.
Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients
Fatty fish aren’t only a good source of omega-3 fats. Many are also rich inanti-inflammatory vitamin D. For instance, a 3.5-ounce serving of salmon provides 66% of the Daily Value of this hard-to-get nutrient.This combination of omega-3s and vitamin D may double down on inflammation in the body. While some inflammation is healthy, unchecked excess inflammation may increase your risk of heart disease and stroke because it damages blood vessels. Luckily, research has found that eating fish may lower markers of inflammation in people at high risk for heart disease.
Other Tips for Heart-Healthy Eating
The Bottom Line
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Picking Healthy Proteins.U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.American Heart Association.What kind of diet helps heart health?American Heart Association.Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.Zhang B, Xiong K, Cai J, Ma A.Fish Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis.Nutrients. 2020; 12(8):2278. doi:10.3390/nu12082278Hustad KS, Rundblad A, Ottestad I, Christensen JJ, Holven KB, Ulven SM.Comprehensive lipid and metabolite profiling in healthy adults with low and high consumption of fatty fish: a cross-sectional study[published correction appears in Br J Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;128(2):367-368. doi: 10.1017/S0007114522001519].Br J Nutr. 2021;125(9):1034-1042. doi:10.1017/S0007114520002305McMullan JE, Yeates AJ, Allsopp PJ, et al.Fish consumption and its lipid modifying effects - A review of intervention studies.Neurotoxicology. 2023;99:82-96. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.003U.S. Department of Agriculture.Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heatCostabile G, Della Pepa G, Vetrani C, Vitaglione P, Griffo E, Giacco R, Vitale M, Salamone D, Rivellese AA, Annuzzi G, et al.An Oily Fish Diet Improves Subclinical Inflammation in People at High Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Controlled Study.Molecules. 2021; 26(11):3369.https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113369American Heart Association.Added Sugars.American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.Biddinger KJ, Emdin CA, Haas ME, et al.Association of habitual alcohol intake with risk of cardiovascular disease[published correction appears in JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e2212024. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.12024].JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(3):e223849. Published 2022 Mar 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.3849
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Picking Healthy Proteins.U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.American Heart Association.What kind of diet helps heart health?American Heart Association.Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.Zhang B, Xiong K, Cai J, Ma A.Fish Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis.Nutrients. 2020; 12(8):2278. doi:10.3390/nu12082278Hustad KS, Rundblad A, Ottestad I, Christensen JJ, Holven KB, Ulven SM.Comprehensive lipid and metabolite profiling in healthy adults with low and high consumption of fatty fish: a cross-sectional study[published correction appears in Br J Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;128(2):367-368. doi: 10.1017/S0007114522001519].Br J Nutr. 2021;125(9):1034-1042. doi:10.1017/S0007114520002305McMullan JE, Yeates AJ, Allsopp PJ, et al.Fish consumption and its lipid modifying effects - A review of intervention studies.Neurotoxicology. 2023;99:82-96. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.003U.S. Department of Agriculture.Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heatCostabile G, Della Pepa G, Vetrani C, Vitaglione P, Griffo E, Giacco R, Vitale M, Salamone D, Rivellese AA, Annuzzi G, et al.An Oily Fish Diet Improves Subclinical Inflammation in People at High Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Controlled Study.Molecules. 2021; 26(11):3369.https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113369American Heart Association.Added Sugars.American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.Biddinger KJ, Emdin CA, Haas ME, et al.Association of habitual alcohol intake with risk of cardiovascular disease[published correction appears in JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e2212024. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.12024].JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(3):e223849. Published 2022 Mar 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.3849
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Picking Healthy Proteins.U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.American Heart Association.What kind of diet helps heart health?American Heart Association.Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.Zhang B, Xiong K, Cai J, Ma A.Fish Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis.Nutrients. 2020; 12(8):2278. doi:10.3390/nu12082278Hustad KS, Rundblad A, Ottestad I, Christensen JJ, Holven KB, Ulven SM.Comprehensive lipid and metabolite profiling in healthy adults with low and high consumption of fatty fish: a cross-sectional study[published correction appears in Br J Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;128(2):367-368. doi: 10.1017/S0007114522001519].Br J Nutr. 2021;125(9):1034-1042. doi:10.1017/S0007114520002305McMullan JE, Yeates AJ, Allsopp PJ, et al.Fish consumption and its lipid modifying effects - A review of intervention studies.Neurotoxicology. 2023;99:82-96. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.003U.S. Department of Agriculture.Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heatCostabile G, Della Pepa G, Vetrani C, Vitaglione P, Griffo E, Giacco R, Vitale M, Salamone D, Rivellese AA, Annuzzi G, et al.An Oily Fish Diet Improves Subclinical Inflammation in People at High Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Controlled Study.Molecules. 2021; 26(11):3369.https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113369American Heart Association.Added Sugars.American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.Biddinger KJ, Emdin CA, Haas ME, et al.Association of habitual alcohol intake with risk of cardiovascular disease[published correction appears in JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e2212024. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.12024].JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(3):e223849. Published 2022 Mar 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.3849
American Heart Association.Picking Healthy Proteins.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.
American Heart Association.What kind of diet helps heart health?
American Heart Association.Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
Zhang B, Xiong K, Cai J, Ma A.Fish Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis.Nutrients. 2020; 12(8):2278. doi:10.3390/nu12082278
Hustad KS, Rundblad A, Ottestad I, Christensen JJ, Holven KB, Ulven SM.Comprehensive lipid and metabolite profiling in healthy adults with low and high consumption of fatty fish: a cross-sectional study[published correction appears in Br J Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;128(2):367-368. doi: 10.1017/S0007114522001519].Br J Nutr. 2021;125(9):1034-1042. doi:10.1017/S0007114520002305
McMullan JE, Yeates AJ, Allsopp PJ, et al.Fish consumption and its lipid modifying effects - A review of intervention studies.Neurotoxicology. 2023;99:82-96. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.003
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heat
Costabile G, Della Pepa G, Vetrani C, Vitaglione P, Griffo E, Giacco R, Vitale M, Salamone D, Rivellese AA, Annuzzi G, et al.An Oily Fish Diet Improves Subclinical Inflammation in People at High Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Controlled Study.Molecules. 2021; 26(11):3369.https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26113369
American Heart Association.Added Sugars.
American Heart Association.Limiting Alcohol to Manage High Blood Pressure.
Biddinger KJ, Emdin CA, Haas ME, et al.Association of habitual alcohol intake with risk of cardiovascular disease[published correction appears in JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Apr 1;5(4):e2212024. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.12024].JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(3):e223849. Published 2022 Mar 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.3849
